Glynn Turman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Glynn Turman
Turman in 2007
Born	(1947-01-31) January 31, 1947 (age 78) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actor director writer producer
Years active	1959–present
Known for	Leroy "Preach" Jackson – Cooley High Colonel Bradford Taylor – A Different World Clarence Royce – The Wire
Spouse(s)	Ula M. Walker ​ ​ (m. 1965; div. 1971)​ Aretha Franklin ​ ​ (m. 1978; div. 1984)​ Jo-Ann Allen ​ (m. 1992)​
Children	4

Glynn Turman (born January 31, 1947) is an American actor, director, writer, and producer. He first became known as a child actor in the 1959 Broadway play A Raisin in the Sun. Turman is famous for his roles as Leroy "Preach" Jackson in the 1975 movie Cooley High, and as Colonel Bradford Taylor in the TV show A Different World. He also played Mayor Clarence Royce in the drama series The Wire. He won an Emmy Award for his part in the HBO series In Treatment.

Turman has also appeared in other popular shows like House of Lies, Fargo, and the 2020 Netflix movie Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

Early Life

Glynn Turman was born in New York City. His family history shows he has roots with the Edo people from Nigeria. He went to the High School of Performing Arts in New York City and graduated in 1965. This school is well-known for training young actors and artists.

Acting Career

Turman started acting professionally at just 12 years old. His first big role was as Travis Younger in the original Broadway play A Raisin in the Sun. He acted alongside famous stars like Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee. After high school, he continued to act in many theater groups across the United States. He even earned an award nomination for his performance in the play The Wine Sellers in 1974.

Turman has won two NAACP Image Awards for his theater work. One was for acting in the play Eyes of the American, and the other was for directing Deadwood Dick.

He has also directed episodes for several TV shows, including The Parent 'Hood, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, A Different World, and The Wayans Bros.

Turman on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun. From left to right: Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil, Glynn Turman, Sidney Poitier, and John Fiedler.

Turman began his film career in the 1970s. He appeared in movies like Five on the Black Hand Side (1973) and Cooley High (1975). He also starred in TV movies such as Centennial and Minstrel Man, for which he won another NAACP Image Award.

Later, he appeared in films like Gremlins (1984), How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998), and Super 8 (2011). In 2004, he joined the HBO series The Wire as Mayor Clarence Royce. His role as the mayor earned him an NAACP Image Award nomination.

After The Wire, Turman continued to appear in many TV shows. He guest-starred in Scrubs and won an Emmy Award in 2008 for his role in In Treatment. He also played Jeremiah Kaan in House of Lies and Ernest Bordelon in Queen Sugar.

In 2017, Turman was cast as Nate Lahey Sr. in How to Get Away With Murder. His character was the father of Nate Lahey, played by Billy Brown. More recently, Turman played Mose Wright in the 2021 series Women of the Movement, which tells the story of Emmett Till. He also made a special appearance in the 2023 movie 80 for Brady.

Interestingly, Glynn Turman once auditioned for the role of Han Solo in Star Wars. He later shared that the director, George Lucas, thought about him for the part. However, Lucas was concerned about potential controversy at the time, given the idea of a Black Han Solo and a white Princess Leia.

Beyond Acting

Glynn Turman is also known for his work outside of acting. He started Camp Gid D Up, a program that teaches horse riding skills and important life values to young people in cities in southern California. For almost 40 years, he has also been a co-grand marshal for the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo. This event celebrates the history and skills of Black cowboys.

Film Roles

TV Shows

Podcasts

Awards and Recognition

See also

In Spanish: Glynn Turman para niños